How to take great reference photos

Tip #1: Lighting

Natural light will produce the richest image of your pet. Using flash and other artificial light sources may take a great photograph, but it will lack the depth of highlight and shadow that will translate into a great painting. Try to capture your pet's image in natural daylight (but not in full, direct sunlight) in order to get the best quality photo for reference. 

Tip #2: Camera Angle

A lot of times we take photos of our pets from a downward angle because we tower over them and we're taking the image in the moment. For a great painting, the best angle is at eye level with your pet.  Try to get on your pet's level when you're taking their reference photos. 

Tip #3: Image Quality

The more detail I can see in the photo, the more detail will be translated to the painting. To increase the quality of the image of your pet, simply get closer to them when taking the photo. If your pet is a small point of focus in a larger image (standing 20 feet from you in the middle of your backyard, for instance) the quality will suffer. 

Here are a few examples of some great reference photos: